Over the winter I made a goal to revisit some of my favorite creative/art/home books for inspiration. I didn't get to all of these but these are my favorite in my collection!
The Artist Way by Julia Cameron
A few years ago I did the 12 week program of this book and it helped me launch my business. In it she talks about two essentials as an artist; The Morning Pages and The Artist Date. I'm currently doing morning pages again where every morning you brain dump for 3 pages to make room for creative work. The artist date is where you take yourself out on a creative adventure; a museum, the art store, a walk without distractions..it can be anything! I feel like this is the holy grail of creative books, for anyone looking to add more creativity into their life be it a career or hobby.
Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert
Living without fear and leading with curiosity, these are the main themes I took away from this book. I flip through it every now and again for inspiration. It's essentially a guide to living a more creative life tackling fear and perfectionism that can oftentimes be blockers for creatives.
Show Your Work, Steal like an Artist, Keep Going all by Austin Kleon
These are such quick yet impactful reads for artists and creatives. Each one has little nuggets of magic and advice that act as a push to keep going on your creative journey. I flip through these quite often..highly recommend!
We Need Your Art by Aimee McNee
One of my all time favorites, hands down. I've never marked up a book as much as this one. I devoured it this past winter and did all the journaling prompts too, very eye opening. She addresses imposter syndrome, perfectionism, self-doubt and how to over come them in the name of creativity. Our art (whether "good" or "bad") should be created and shared. The two-week creative reset is a great practice that I'll keep in my back pocket. Add it to your collection!
Heirloom Rooms by Erin Napier
This is a home decor book rather than art book but I would argue that it's still a creative one. In it she shares her home as well as her friends, family and people she admires on how we really live in our homes; baby monitors and all. It's a reminder to me that art doesn't have to be stuffy but can have a lot of people behind it and can be shared with each generation.
The Perfectly Imperfect Home by Deborah Needleman
Another home decor book but I love the artwork in this book, it's such an inspiration to me. She shares practical ways on how our homes doesn't have to be perfect but lived in, functional AND beautiful. It's a guide to creating comfy and authentic homes focused on personal happiness rather than perfection along with great advice on decluttering and finding joy in everyday objects.
These are some of my favorite creative reads that I turn to again and again. If you love one of them or happen to pick one up, I'd like to know what you think. Enjoy!
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